Climb Every Mountain
by DeadlyFandoms
Summary: A series of one-shots all about Maria and Georg - each one stemming from a one word prompt. Romance, Family, Hurt/Comfort...it's all here! [COMPLETE]
1. Anxiety

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey! Hey! Hey! I hope you're all doing well!**

 **So, I'm back with another story, but for the first time in a long time, it's *not* a Mary Poppins story! *GASP!* I know! Shocking! So, as I have said in some of my previous updates, for a while I have wanted to write some Sound of Music and Dick Van Dyke show fanfictions and I've finally gotten around to it...well, some of it!**

 **So, this is my first ever Sound of Music fanfiction and I'm VERY nervous about it because I don't feel very confident when it comes to writing Maria and Georg...so, please be kind! :P**

 **This story is going to be made up of of several one-shots, they're all going to be part of the same story/timeline, but they're not going to be in chronological order. Furthermore, each one contains a one word prompt that I got from a random word generator.**

 **So, that's all I have to say and I really hope you enjoy this first chapter!**

* * *

 _ **Anxiety**_

Maria stood in Georg's darkened study – her eyes straining to read the titles of the hundreds of books that stood impeccably upon the shelves in front of her. She felt herself shiver, but knew that it had no relation to the temperature. No, her shivers were all because of where she was stood, _his_ study, but _he_ wasn't just anybody, he wasn't Captain Von Trapp, nor was he even simply Georg; no, _he_ was now her fiancée. She squeezed her eyes shut for just a moment and willed herself to stop being so stupid, but it was to no avail, she couldn't ward off the unmistakable feeling of anxiety.

She knew exactly why she was feeling it too. Their wedding was only a week away and she felt the spindly fingers of her nerves creep further up her spine – submerging her in the shadows of doubt – her only light was Georg; but he was a light that she was shamefully too afraid to approach. Metaphorically, she was kicking herself and she wished that for once – just once – she could be normal in this field, instead of some fearful ex nun-to-be who could barely think straight. Objectively she knew she was being ridiculous, but it was still so unfathomable to her how he could –

"Maria?" his soft voice questioned from behind her.

She whipped her head around and saw him leaning against the doorframe, the moonlight caressing his frame like a half-finished portrait.

"Oh, Georg…" she breathed as she brought a hand lightly to her breastbone, "…I didn't hear you come in"

"Sorry if I startled you" he said quietly, "…couldn't sleep?" he questioned.

"No, not really…I thought a book might make me feel tired" her tone was unusually reserved and even then Georg could spot it from a mile away.

"Maria, is everything okay?" he began to walk tentatively towards her – showing much more uncertainty than usual.

Maria looked to her feet.

"Of course…why wouldn't it be?" she was asking herself more than him.

"Sweetheart, I know when you're lying –"

"— I'm not lying" she assured – a little too quickly.

"Okay, well I know when there's something bothering you, or when there's something you're not telling me…you can trust me, surely you know that?"

She nodded slowly but didn't say a word.

"Whatever it is, I want to try and help, after all, we'll be married soon and –"

"—that's the problem" she murmured.

"What?" He could feel the air leaving his lungs as he awaited her response.

"I said that's the problem…" she couldn't meet his gaze and he noticed that her fists were clenched by her sides, her breathes ragged and uneven.

"Maria…are you…having second thoughts?" In truth, he was too afraid of the answer.

Her eyes finally darted up to meet his. Her jaw hung open ever so slightly and her cheeks flushed until they were positively crimson.

"Goodness, no!" she almost exclaimed, "Of course not!"

A whoosh of air left him as Georg sighed with deep relief. A smile began to spread across his face.

"Good" he chuckled, "You had me worried for a moment"

"I'm sorry" she replied – almost cracking a smile.

He stepped closer and ran the back of his hand down her cheek and Maria had to fight to keep her eyes from fluttering shut. His touches were so soft…

"I love you, Maria"

Then there was that oh so familiar feeling creeping up her spine again.

"Why?" she suddenly asked…she too, was afraid of the answer.

Georg stopped and pulled his hand away.

"What?" his eyes clouded over with confusion.

"I asked you why"

"As in, why do I love you?"

She nodded slowly.

"Why would you even ask?"

Her gaze fell to the floor again.

"It's nothing…I'm just being silly" she excused.

"Oh, Maria, your feelings could never be silly…now, what's got you upset?"

"Sometimes I…I just don't understand _how_ you could love someone like me…" she breathed, "…I mean, you're a baron, you're an ex naval captain and you're…well, you're _you_ , and what am I, Georg? –" she whimpered, "—just a nobody mountain girlwho couldn't even commit herself to God…I'm a governess, Georg…how can you possibly love someone like me?"

If hearts could break, Georg's would have been little more than dust.

"Oh, Maria" he breathed as he swept her into his arms – holding her as securely as possible.

"I'm sorry…" she murmured, "…sometimes it just creeps up on me"

"Maria, my darling, I love _you_ , you understand? There hasn't been a single moment in which I've cared about your status or what you can be defined as, all I care about is _who you are_. And you are the woman that brought meaning back into my life, that loves my children like they're her own…you're the woman that brought music back into this house, you're the woman I want to marry and you're the woman that I'm so wholly in love with"

At some point during his speech, she had started crying.

"Shhh, my love" he sooth as he pulled her back so he could look into her eyes – those deep blue pools that he often found himself lost in.

"I'm sorry for acting so silly and doubtful…I think I sometimes have a hard time believing that I got so lucky"

"Sometimes I feel the same way, Maria…we all have our anxieties, but – if you can – I want you to let yours wash away, because I love you for who you are…"

With that, he leant in and brushed his lips lightly against hers – holding her close and savouring the softness of their tender kiss. Then, when they separated, he smiled and added…

"And I'm never going to stop"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, that was the first chapter! Like I said, I'm not very confident about this, so I would really like it if you gave me some feedback so that I can improve.**

 **Anyway, hopefully I'll be able to update soon and I really hope you enjoyed that!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	2. Wealth

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter two is here! Thanks so much for the reviews and for reading chapter one! I Hope you enjoy it!**

 **I'm going back to university on Saturday so I'm not sure when I'll update this next, but I should be able to get another chapter up next week without any problems. I'm also planning on updating "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever" before I go back. ...And I've got loads more stories I want to write...particularly for Mary Poppins! :P**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Wealth**_

People always told Mary that she was lucky to be such a wealthy woman, and despite her values extending beyond material possessions, she knew it was true. Whilst the war had caused a blow to what they owned and for a while, the money in their pockets, Maria knew how to appreciate what she had – especially since she never had such luxuries as a child. When she married Georg – all those years ago – he had showered he with luxuries, not to show off or to buy her affections, but because he wanted to; he wanted to show her how much he loved her and wanted her to have the very best of everything. But even Georg's affections weren't materialistic, even he preferred to show his love through actions and thoughtful gestures, rather than large price tags. They would both chose a massage over new clothing any day.

Still, whenever she socialised, many of her friends and acquaintances would express their jealously (friendly jealousy, mind you) over her extended wealth; but Maria was always quick to assure them that economic wealth wasn't all it was cracked up to be and it certainly wasn't the core of her happiness, after all, she was the woman who used to spend her days singing in the mountains and taking joy from the pastoral freedom. She had always been that way and she never wanted that part of her to change. Neither did Georg. Her friends would retaliate with friendly tones and remind her that she would never want for anything, that she would always have the nicest clothes, the finest foods and could go where she pleased; and, whilst all of that was true, Maria knew that that was not the reason for her wealth.

No, whilst Maria may have had money and a large home in Vermont, she felt that her wealth lay within her family. Whenever people praised her for her wealth, her mind did not turn to money, it turn to the wonderful man that had married her all those years ago, that had kissed her in the gazebo and had shunted all of society's rules because he fell in love with _her_. The man who had given her love, safety, a home and a family. She thought of the seven children that she had been introduced to that faithful day that felt both like forever and only a breath away. Those seven children that she had heard such notorious things about, the ones she taught to sing, the ones she brought back to their father and the ones that now called her mother.

She couldn't help but smile when she thought of them. How they all had such strong and individual personalities and how they had grown so much in the years since she first met them. Things had changed a lot, but Maria knew that her experiences since first meeting the Von Trapp family – _her_ family – were the causes of her wealth. Her wealth lay not within what she had, but _who_ she had to share it with.

She's brought out of her reverie by a soft, open-mouthed kiss on the back of her neck – accompanied by the warmth of the morning's first light dancing across her skin. She feels his arms tighten around her frame and she can't fight the smile that spreads across her cheeks as he smooths a palm across the swell of her stomach. Across what will one day be their tenth child. She snuggles into Georg, savouring the warmth of his embrace and the intense love that he had been benevolently and unconditionally giving her for so many years.

She really was the wealthiest woman that ever lived.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: There you go! It was only a short one, but I really hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter will be up soon!**

 **Please leave a review!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	3. Wonder

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, I'm back at uni now and it's like it never left! Haha! The work load is going to be a lot larger and harder this time, but I'm definitely still going to find time to update this and Mary Poppins story/stories.**

 **Anyway, here's the latest chapter, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, thanks so much for the reviews! xxx**

* * *

 _ **Wonder**_

Maria was rarely a woman who was anything but joyful, but on this particular evening, she couldn't help but sigh. And it wasn't a sigh of happiness or contentment either, no, it was a sigh of solemnness.

"That was an awfully big sigh for such a small person" Georg jested as he approached her – snaking his arms around her from behind and letting his eyes settle on the soothing view of Vermont that they had grown accustomed to over the last year.

"I'm not that small" she replied.

She had meant it to be a joke, but the required gusto was misplaced. Instead, it sounded sour.

"Is everything alright, love?"

"I think so…"

He moved to her side and placed a caring hand on her shoulder – caressing it supportively as he looked into her troubled eyes.

"You think so?"

"I can't tell if what I'm feeling is normal, or if I'm just being foolish"

"Well, what are you feeling?"

There was a pause as Maria fought with her words, trying to order them into perfectly constructed sentences, into forms that would be able to accurately convey her new-found emotions. But she soon realised that it was hard to describe what she didn't understand. She sighed again – this time gently. Georg didn't rush her, instead, her gave her all the metaphorical space she needed; he simply waited patiently and lovingly – wearing a smile the whole time. The smile that still never failed to melt his wife's heart.

"Do you ever think about if things had been different?"

"It depends on what you mean by different?"

"Different in any and every possible way…do you think about what our lives would be like if we'd never met…what our _separate_ lives would be like?"

Georg pondered for a moment, his brow crinkling with possibility.

"Personally, I try not to think about it…one can only assume that if we'd never met, you'd be a nun by this point and I probably wouldn't be any closer to my children…maybe we would've been separated by the war?"

"It's not like I _want_ such things to be true, but I just often find myself wondering…"

"There's nothing wrong with an innocent indulgence in wonder…you're simply trying to understand what you'll never know…I think it's human nature"

"You do?"

He nodded as she turned to face him fully. He let his hands move to her waist.

"I do, so you never need to feel guilty about it…as long as you're not having second thoughts about me, then I'm okay with it!" he smirked and she managed to smile herself.

"I often find myself thinking about what it'd be life if there was never a war…"

"Me too…I never thought I'd leave Austria"

"Do you miss the villa?"

He nodded slowly.

"For a very long time, that place felt like a tomb; to me, it wasn't a home, it was just a series of walls reminding me of what I wanted to forget…I was wallowing in guilt…it seemed that every inch of that house reminded me of Agathe…"

Maria let her gaze fall to her feet.

"But –" Georg continued, "—one day a plucky young governess came along and reminded me of all the happy times that house was home to…"

Maria could feel herself blushing profusely.

"…she reminded me to focus on all the joy that I'd once lived through in that house and to focus on those around me so that my future could hold that very same sense of euphoria…and whilst it may never see us through our married life like I'd hoped, or whilst it may never be the home of any children we may have, I know that'll it'll always be the place that started us on our journey…"

He kissed the top of her head.

"So…" he continued – smirking at how long winded his speech was becoming, "…I _do_ miss the villa – I miss what it could've been for us, but now we have this life and as long as I have you and the children with me, I could never want for anything else"

"But perhaps you'd wonder?"

"Of course I'd wonder…" he chuckled, "…but my wonder doesn't equate to want, my dear…I may _wonder_ how things could've ended up, but I _want_ to make sure I only live the life I have now" he smiled.

"Sometimes I wonder about how much I love you… she smirked.

"Oh, and what's the conclusion?"

"That it's not worth trying to comprehend things that are simply too large for the human mind to ever fully understand"

"That was awfully sentimental" he teased before pecking her lips.

"I wonder where I get that from?"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Really hope you enjoyed that! I've got some ideas that I'm looking forward to writing, so, hopefully chapter four will be up soon.**

 **Please leave a review!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	4. Symptom

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, I'm going to be completely honestly with you, I'm really pleased with this one! I hope you feel the same!**

 **I'm hoping to start the next chapter soon, but university work load is still pretty light at the moment (with the exception of having ton constantly study two languages! XD) so it should hopefully be up soon!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Symptom**_

With cautious steps, Georg cracked the door to the bedroom he shared with his wife and began to let himself enter – his head leading the rest of his body on the journey.

"Maria? Sweetheart are you – Maria, what are you doing out of bed?"

Maria let out a slightly childish huff as she held her place next to the window.

"I told you, darling, I feel fine, I think you overreacted"

"I don't think so" he pouted.

She bit back a chuckle.

"You already sent me to the doctors this morning and now you practically have me on permanent bed rest…it really isn't necessary" she protested lightly.

"Maria, you can't deny that you've not been yourself lately, I mean, how many times have you been sick this week alone?"

"But I'm not throwing up now!" she countered, "I promise you that this isn't just my stubbornness, I honestly feel fine"

"Can you really blame me for not wanting to take any risks?" he asked quietly – his gaze turning solemn before falling to his feet.

Maria let out a minute sigh, and – even though he wasn't looking at her – she gave him a caring smile. He rarely spoke about Agathe's death or the circumstances around it, but on occasions, the words would slip from his lips and he would begin to retreat into his own inward barrier. If there was one thing Maria had learnt during their time as husband and wife – it was how to sooth him through such moments. She took gentle steps towards him before running her hand down his cheek in a caring caress.

"I can't, darling, if anything, I love you for it…I know how worried you can get, but all I ask is that you trust me on this one"

"I'm sorry, I'm treating you like one of the children"

"Don't be ridiculous…" she – ironically – parented, "… _you_ are merely trying to look after your wife, perhaps not in the most sensible way, but it really is terribly endearing"

"It is?" that was when the light returned to his eyes.

She smiled warmly at him.

"It is…well, at least it is when you're not on bed rest" she smirked before kissing him softly…and letting it linger.

"So, do we have a deal? Am I allowed out of this room now?"

"I suppose so" he humoured.

"Good!" she chirped – trying to ignore the slight dizziness that was beginning to sneak up on her.

"You still look pale, though" he commented with a raised eyebrow, "what did that doctor say this morning?"

She moved out of his arms with an unreadable expression, but a playful glint in her gaze. She sat on the bed and remained facing him – slightly amused at how his features had solidified with confusion.

"Well, that's the thing with these mysterious illnesses, isn't it, darling? Sometimes you suspect it might be one thing or another, then you get yourself checked and it ends up being something else entirely"

"That's very cryptic" he almost grumbled.

"You're a smart man, Georg, I'm sure you can figure this whole thing out" she prompted – biting back a giggle as she did so.

"I'm not sure if this is an appropriate time for games"

"But games can _always_ help cheer people up! Even you can't deny that!"

To an extent, it was very true. So, with a sigh that somewhat conveyed defeat, he sat next to her on the bed and began to intensely study the features that he had adored for so long; simply searching for any kind pf clue, anything that would tell him what she wanted him to guess. Still, he wasn't in the mood for jokes when it came to her health…but, then he thought that maybe it wasn't all that serious? Maybe she just had a cold and she was ready to tease him for overacting. Besides, he also knew that he'd never be able to change her mind about the whole game prospect. So, he wholly gave in to her.

"Alright, so you've been sick quick a lot this week…was it something you ate? Food poisoning?"

"I can assure you that I'm thoroughly un-poisoned"

"Is that even a real term?"

"It is now!" she giggled. She was infuriatingly adorable.

"Okay…" he chuckled, "…what about the flu?"

She shook her head.

"Nope, he said it wasn't that either, he told me that the symptoms didn't quite match up"

"Vomiting and dizziness sound like the flu to me"

"Well, things aren't always what they seem, are they?"

He gave her a slight nod and genuine smile.

"Some kind of virus? Or even a cold?"

"Sorry, none of those!"

"Were you tricking me the whole time?"

She almost laughed at that one.

"Do you really think I'd be that cruel…or convincing, for that matter?!"

"I suppose not!" he teased, "I just think I've run out of theories"

"Really, Georg? I'm surprised at you? I would've thought it would've been a plain as the nose your face!"

"Sometimes it's hard for me to focus on the bigger picture when you're around me, sweetheart" he hummed.

Ignoring his advances, she pressed on.

"Even so, darling, I just _know_ that you can figure this one out…just take your time, really analyse the situation…you are a man of logic, after all"

"Okay…" he laughed softly, "…so, about a week and a half ago was when it all started"

"Correct, what did I say when I woke up that morning?"

"You said that you still felt tired…but you simply thought it was due to – uh – our nightly activities"

"I did, indeed…" she blushed, "…then how did that progress?"

"You said that you felt tired for most of the day, that you had trouble keeping up with Gretl and Marta and that you didn't feel relaxed until that evening…" he pondered for a while longer, "…then, at dinner, you said that you didn't have much of an appetite and that's when everyone knew that something was wrong!" he teased.

"Keep going –" she encouraged, "—I thin you're on the right track"

"The tiredness continued and has yet to subside…it was then accompanied by spells of dizziness…" his voice began to trail off as his mind began to – slowly – fill in the blanks…but the picture wasn't clear, not yet.

"Yes…" Maria encouraged – fighting her smile.

"Then, the next symptom to arrive was when you started actually being sick and…and that's only ever occurred in the morning, hasn't it?" he asked with a sudden pang of realisation…still, he kept his face calm – not wanting to tempt fate – but his heart was kicking furiously against his ribs.

"You're correct, my dear, and, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe you've reached a conclusion, have you not?"

"Maria, are you…" he trailed off as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

Maria took over and nodded slowly as a beaming smile took over her features.

"This morning, the doctor's very well-educated conclusion was that I, Maria Von Trapp, am expecting a baby!"

It all washed over Georg like a sudden wave of euphoria, filling his every limb and burning deep within his core. He couldn't believe it, in fact, he was simply ecstatic. Soon, his own smile began to appear – one that could challenge the sun with its brightness – and he took her into his arms.

"Oh, you amazing woman!" he breathed as he held her close – revelling in the gift that she was soon to give him.

He buried his face into her neck and feathered it with kisses – simply showing her how thankful he was…but his kisses were only the tip of the iceberg.

"Now, now, I certainly couldn't have done it without you!" she laughed.

Finally, he pulled back to look at her and she almost wept when she saw just how much love lingered in his eyes. He was looking at her as if she were the sun, the moon and the stars all rolled into one. But she meant more to him than all of that.

"Oh, Maria, this is so wonderful!" he beamed.

"I'm glad you're happy"

"Happy? Oh, that's got to be the understatement of the century! Happy doesn't even _begin_ to explain it…you're the most wonderful woman I've ever known, Maria, and there's nothing I want more than for us to have our own children…children that have come from _our_ love, children that are a piece of _you_ "

She knew he didn't mean those words with any sort of disrespect and they touched something deep inside her…something that made a single tear fall; a tear that he kissed away before moving his lips to her own in a soft, sensual and languid kiss.

"I love you, Maria" he breathed in awe as he brought a hand to rest on her still-flat abdomen.

She placed her hand on top of his and threaded their fingers together. The smile she wore in that moment was utterly infectious.

"I love you too"

"Now, I think it's time we tell the children, don't you? I'm sure they'd be simply furious if they discovered that we kept this from them" he smirked.

She responded simply with…

"I quite agree"

So, with one more kiss, some giddy smiles and laughter of child-like innocence, they went to spread their joyous news.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Oh, I'm sorry, but I really am proud of that!**

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought!**

 **Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon! xxx**

 **(Also, if you have any ideas for this story, feel free to message me!)**


	5. Shatter

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Not much to say really, just sorry that this chapter is a little late, but the next one has already been written so it should be up on time!**

 **Enjoy! x**

 **(Disclaimer for certain aspects at the bottom)**

* * *

 _ **Shatter.**_

They had been marred for over thirty years. Thirty magical years. Each one overflowing with challenges, magic and, of course, music. But as he'd gotten older, he'd also gotten sicker and Maria eventually realised that their goodbye was not far away, and when she accepted such a fact, her world completely shattered. They'd seen the best doctors and had travelled all over the country, but, in the end, it really was inevitable. He had been surrounded by his family when he died, his children and wife all crowded around his bedside, all there to say their final goodbyes, to thank him for the wonderful life he'd given them and to remind him of how much they loved him. Despite his condition, he couldn't help but smile warmly at them all. He took each of their hands as he spoke to them.

"Johannes, I know it hasn't always been easy for you being the youngest, but you've always been so grown up and you've become a wonderful young man…" he let out a slight cough, but his eyes kept smiling, "…I know you've never liked being the youngest, but don't rush into maturity, make sure you live a little, everything will fall into place in its own time, but you need to let it find you…you're going to have a wonderful life and I'm always going to be with you."

Then he turned to his youngest daughter and even though it was weak, he flashed her his token grin.

"Eleonor, my dear, you're the only person I know that's had more daughters than me…" he managed to splutter out a laugh, "…you're a wonderful mother and I'm so very grateful for all the precious granddaughters you've given me, keep on loving them, my dear and keep showing the world that wonderful smile of yours"

Then Rosmarie, the first child he'd had with Maria.

"Oh, Rosie, Sweetheart, you have always been such a wonderful performer, you've got a beautiful voice – just like your mother – I know…I know that you think I'm upset because you never gave me grandchildren, but please let me remind you one final time that I love you so much, and I could _never_ be disappointed in you…especially for something so trivial. Never let your voice fade, darling"

He coughed again but was carried through discomfort when he felt Maria gently squeeze his hand and gave the most reassuring smile she could muster; she feared that if she let her emotions show to much, then tears would start to fall. She wanted to stay strong, for her husband's sake. Georg smiled back, showing no fear in his eyes, and then turned to little Gretl – who wasn't so little anymore.

"Gretl, sometimes it's hard to believe that you're no longer the little girl that I carried over the mountains, the little girl who could barely speak to your mother when she first arrived, and now you're stood in front of me as a wonderful woman and I'm so proud of you, you've always shown such bravery and I just know that you're going to continue to apply to that every aspect of your life…you'll always be my brave little girl"

Then Marta.

"Marta, my sweet little Marta, even though you've always been shy, you've also always been so caring, especially towards your younger siblings, I know there were many times when you were there to support them and I can't tell you how proud I am of you for that, how much I admire you…I know you'll always be there for them, keep on loving, my sweet"

He closed is eyes for a moment and took a few deep breathes – weakness beginning to flood into him like a painful warmth – but he pushed through it and turned to look and Brigitta.

"Oh, my dear Brigitta, you've always been so intelligent, I can't tell you how many times I smiled over the fact that you had your nose buried into a book; you have a real thirst for knowledge that is so wonderful to see…in fact, you always seemed to _see_ everything –" he chuckled gruffly, "— promise me that you'll never give up your passions, it's part of who you are, part of why people love you so"

Then Kurt.

"Kurt –" he smiled, "—Kurt, I know that you were always happy as a boy, but you must know that you are a true gentleman…who still has a wonderful appetite –" a small chuckle swept through the room at that point, but Georg carried on, "—your children really look up to you, my boy, promise me you'll help to show them the way…but I know you'll always be there for them"

The silence was broken by a stubborn sniff, and Georg turned to see Louisa facing away from him – squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to stop her tears from falling.

"Louisa?" he beckoned, but her throat felt like it had completely closed.

Eventually she turned to him and was met with his smile.

"You've always been a strong one, Louisa, and I know that some moments were hard for you, I know you always felt as if you were too different from other girls, you never wanted to do the same things as them, dress in the same way or talk about the same things, but you never changed who you were to please others, you always stayed true to yourself and I can't tell you how admirable that is. You understand fully that people love you for who _you_ are and that is such an important message to carry with you in life. So, never hide yourself away, sweetheart, always be yourself"

Then his eldest son.

"Oh, Fredrich…" he sighed with admiration, "…I want to call you 'my boy', but you're far from that now, you – like your brothers – are a gentleman and I'm so proud of you, I'm sorry that I wasn't always there to support you, or that I wasn't always there to show you _how_ to be a man, but I'm so glad you're your mother showed me my errors in time, and I do hope you've forgiven me for trying to push you away…but I am touched that, even after all my mistakes, you still looked up to me, that I was the one you wanted to model yourself on…but you're a better man that I was, Fredrich…"

Then, the last of his children…

"Liesl…in my eyes, you'll always be my little girl, I know I missed some very important years of your life, but you are one of the strongest people I've ever known, and like your siblings, I'm so proud to call you my child. When your mother died, and when I retreated form you all, you took on such an important role, in a way, you were a mother figure to all of your siblings, you looked after them when I was too neglectful to do so, we all would have struggled without you, Liesl, and yet, we never heard you complain, you just kept on loving and I know that you'll continue to do so, my dear"

Then, there was only one person left…

"Oh, Maria, my love…I don't even know where to begin…you saved me. You really did. I know that you try to push the credit away from yourself, but I'm not going to let you do that, not today. You brought music, laughter and happiness back into the household that I made so dark, but you taught me how to love again – starting with my children – but, when Agathe died, I never thought that I could love another like I loved her, but you proved me so wrong; from the moment you arrived, my heart started to beat again, it was such a shock and it took me a while to realise what was happening, but I fell so deeply in love with you, more so than I'd ever known…I love you more than I ever thought possible and I'll never be able to thank you enough for all that you've done for me, you looked after my children as if they were your soul purpose in life, you brought me back into this world, loved me and gifted me with and even bigger family…my life would be lost without you, Maria and even when I'm gone I'll still be with you…" he reached up a gently stroked her cheek, "…I will _always_ love you, Maria"

With tears in her eyes, she bent down and softly brushed her lips against Georg's, giving him the last kiss she would ever would. The family cuddled round as best as they could, simply being near to each other and their father. All was quiet for the longest time as each one cried – their minds flooding with the memories of their lives – playing out in the same satisfying way as an old movie, with each frame clearer than the last, never fading from existence. No words were spoken. None needed to be.

Then, after some time, Georg – the father and husband that they loved so dearly, that they were so eternally grateful for – slipped away.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm sorry, please don't hurt me! ;)**

 **DISCLAIMER: So, I know that in real life, Maria and Georg were only married for about twenty years, but I'm choosing not to completely stick to the historical fact for creative reasons; some things are the same, like the names of the children Maria and Georg had and which ones had children, but I want this to be a creative piece, not a historical one.  
I just thought I'd let you know that I'm aware of the historical inaccuracy. :)**

 **See you soon! xxx**

 **(Please leave a review ;) )**


	6. Proof

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Don't worry, I promise the this chapter is much happier than the last! :P It's short and sweet so hopefully you'll enjoy it!**

 **I also have the next chapter planned out, so hopefully that'll be up soon...and I think you're going to like it!**

 **Anyway, enjoy! x**

 **Also, this chapter was somewhat inspired by the TSOM fanfition "Not a Child Anymore" - which is being written by the wonderful VonTrappObsessor, so make sure to check that out!**

* * *

 _ **Proof**_

A grandmother at twenty-eight? It was almost unbelievable! Well, it was to Maria at first, but when she considered that her eldest daughter wasn't that much younger than her, it began to make sense. Of course, according to the rather uncomfortable rules of science, the grandchild – technically – wouldn't be Maria's, at least not by blood; but, for the Von Trapps, blood didn't matter. In their minds, blood did not equal family, no, for them, family is created when people possess mutual love, trust and respect for each other – something that was certainly presence amongst all of them. When Maria had been sent to them all those years ago, it had not taken long for the children to view her as a mother and as part of their family and, of course, Georg soon followed in their footsteps. Now, all of the children were hers, regardless of biology. Whether they had already been alive before she'd met them or whether they were the ones that had been born out of her and Georg's love, they were hers. No doubt about it.

But it did make for a few rather eyebrow raising age gaps – as Maria was now pondering. Liesl had married young – about a week after her twenty-third birthday – and about two months after the wedding, received the joyous news that she was expecting her first child. The entire family were absolutely delighted when they found out, especially Georg – who had been brimming with pride for the young woman that, deep down, he still saw as his little girl. As a matter of fact, the age difference didn't cross Maria's mind until later that very same night, when she lay in Georg's arms – still a tad breathless – and he mentioned that she was going to be the youngest grandmother he'd over known. That was when the realisation fell into place. It wasn't a bad feeling – far from it – but it was…strange, to say the least! She never thought she'd be a mother, let alone a grandmother!

But then, as she pondered it a bit more, she couldn't stop herself from smiling giddily; and she realised, that although the small age gap would raise the eyebrows of those who didn't know her or her history with her family, that it was also a blessing. She realised that she would be lucky enough to be around for most of her grandchild's life – something that very few people got to experience. She would be able to help care for them in their infancy, support them as the grow into a teenager and watched them flourish into a wonderful young adult. She was so grateful that her situation had presented her with such a gift – the chance to try and be the greatest grandmother that she could be and the ability to be there through all aspects of her grandchild's life. She couldn't wait.

"It's a good thing you've got those touches of grey in your hair, they're going to be very appropriate once you start getting called granddad!" Maria giggled.

"Cheeky!" he chuckled as he nibbled at her neck.

"I'm so pleased for Liesl, aren't you?" she gushed as she cuddled further against her husband.

"Incredibly so…but sometimes I still see her as my little girl" he chuckled.

"It's only natural, dear, but now, you've got a whole new reason to be proud of her"

"That I have, and I know she's going to be an amazing mother, after all, she'd had you to model herself on"

"Parents are the mentors that their children overtake, if we've done our job, then Liesl will overtake our parenting skills by leaps and bounds"

"I almost don't doubt it, she's always been so passionate"

"Just like her father" she whispered lovingly.

She reached up and began to gently stroke the touches of grey that lived at the very edges of Georg's hair.

"You don't have to rub it in, you know!" he laughed.

"I'm not…and you needn't be self-conscious about it, dear, _I_ happen to like your grey hairs"

"Oh, is that so?"

"It is…I think they make you so quite distinguished and not to mention extremely handsome" she purred.

"You know just how to get this old man's heart beating, don't you?"

"I like to think that it's one of my many talents!"

He leant over and kissed her languidly.

"Anyway, it's alright for you"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you probably won't have any grey hairs until some child somewhere is calling you their great-grandmother!"

And _that_ , Maria thought, was even more amazing!

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed that!**

 **See you soon!**


	7. Grimace

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm going to be completely honest, I'm quite surprised that I got this chapter done. I'm afraid that updates are going to be slowing down a bit because of university, but I will still try my best to update regularly.** **The next chapter of "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever" may take a while because of this, believe me, I _really_ want to update, but I'm now struggling to find the time and/or inspiration. I'm very sorry, but, they will get done, I promise!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter because this is another one that I'm quite proud of! :P**

* * *

 _ **Grimace**_

"It's not funny" Georg grumbled as he lay on the bed and tried to ignore his wife's incessive giggling.

"No…no, of course it's not" she said between her giggles. She turned away, hoping that by removing the view of her husband, that she could rid herself of her laughter…it didn't work.

"I'm glad you find my injury so amusing" he groaned as he shuffled ever so slightly on the bed- wincing as he did so.

"Oh, darling, I'm not laughing because your injured, it's because…" her cheeks became a brilliant shade of red as another fit of giggles took over her.

She sat beside him, covering her mouth and trying desperately to calm herself.

"Because what?"

"It's because of _how_ you got the injury" she eventually blurted…before laughing again.

" _That's_ not funny either"

"I really don't mean to laugh at your pain…but the fact that you injured your back when…." She never finished the sentence.

He rubbed his eyes with frustration.

"Look on the bright side, Georg, it could've been so much worse"

"Whilst that may be the case, I don't appreciate the laughter, after all, you're not the one that has to explain to the doctor that you injured your back whilst –"

A sharp knock at the door cut him off.

"Come in" Georg beckoned as Maria began to – unsuccessfully – stifle her giggle, "Behave" he said, which only caused her to laugh more.

Cautiously, the door opened to reveal a somewhat confused looking housekeeper and a tall bearded man behind her. Georg's eyes flooded with dread.

"Sir, Doctor Johnstone is here to see you" she announced.

Georg gave a slight sigh and ignored Maria's stifled laughter.

"Send him in" he said reluctantly…even though he'd called for the man.

"Good afternoon, Georg" he greeted.

"Good afternoon, Doctor…sorry for the short notice"

"It's not trouble, now, what seems to be the problem?"

A very slight whimper came from Maria as she clasped her hand over her mouth and used all of her strength to stay quite and bottle up the laughter. Georg was glad that the doctor seemed unaware of this.

"It's a back injury, something to do with the muscles, I think, but I'm not entirely sure"

"Okay, well, if you could remove your shirt and lie on your side, I'll take a look"

Maria watched as the doctor began to expertly examine Georg – touching and prodding his muscles and making a mental note of each reaction. Even though Maria hated seeing her husband in pain, the entire ordeal still caused prisoned giggles to catch in her throat. She was aware that Georg and the doctor were discussing his symptoms and she knew that she should be listening to such a conversation, but, oh, she just couldn't concentrate on anything! It was ridiculous, she thought, that she was reacting in such a way, but she'd never know anything so funny! Well, it wasn't funny for Georg – far from it – but she just couldn't believe that he'd injured himself in such a way. It was embarrassing, really…and that's what made it so deliciously humorous to her.

Then, in what could only be described as perfect – or perhaps, terrible – timing, Doctor Johnstone asked his next question…

"And how did this injury come about?"

That was all it took to release Maria's laughter. She kept it as quiet as she could, but it still earnt her a quizzical look from the doctor…and one of annoyance from Georg.

"I'm sorry" she breathed between giggled before dashing into the en suite to try and calm herself…but once she was in there, she couldn't resit pressing her ear against the now closed door, for she was curious as to whether or not Georg would be truthful with the doctor about his injury, and, if so, how he would possibly explain it in a civilised manner.

Ignoring Maria's slight outburst, he sighed and began to answer.

"Well, it really didn't come about through anything eventful, just a bit too much physical activity – playing with the children, of course!" she stammered.

Maria was only slightly disappointed by his decision to withhold the truth.

"Hmmm, I see…" the doctor replied with narrowed eyes, "…well, it appears to be a trapped nerve, but nothing too serious, but I suggest that for the next week or so, you refrain from any kind of _physical activity_ …"

Georg felt his cheeks burning…especially when Maria entered the room again – seemingly more composed.

"…I know that your _children_ will be disappointed by such a solution, but I'm sure you'll all make do"

Georg rubbed his temples momentarily and tried to ignore the doctor's insinuations.

"Thank you, doctor, and I appreciate you coming all the way out here on such short notice"

"It was no trouble at all, and I admire your dedication to your health, as I'm sure I'm correct in assuming that you haven't had this injury for very long, have you?"

"That's right"

"An hour or so?"

"Something like that" he said flippantly.

"Strange, especially since all of your children are at school at this time…"

Georg's eyes widened, but he bit his tongue…unlike Maria, who was now giggling again.

"Ah, well, the most important thing is your health, so hopefully we won't be seeing each other any time soon…I'll see myself out"

"Goodbye, Doctor"

"Goodbye, Georg"

He gave them both a polite nod before finally leaving their bedroom. Maria sat beside her husband on the bed – her chest jolting from her stifled laughter.

"You're no better than a child, you know that?" he sighed.

"I really am sorry, darling, but…it's just – oh, it really is so very funny!"

"Well, there's going to be no more of it for the next week, so I hope you're happy"

"You say that like it's my fault, I assure you, Georg that your injury was as much your fault as it was mine…after all, you're the one with such little self-control!" she teased.

"Oh, charming! Now you're making fun of your poor injured husband"

"I'm not making fun of you, dear, I'm merely pointing out what I see…well, _saw_ "

"You're such a minx"

"And that kind of attitude is exactly what got you into this mess"

"Well, I'm going to get out of it too…and I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again…somehow" the last word was little more than a mumble.

With a caring – and somewhat humoured smile – Maria brushed a stray lock of hair form his forehead.

"The solution really is quite simple"

"Yes?"

"You just need to control yourself when we make love!"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that! Please leave a review and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	8. Voyage

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I only have three things to say:**

 **1) Sorry this has taken a while (I'm busy with university)  
2) Sorry if updates slow down (I'm busy with university)  
3) I Hope you enjoy this chapter (Because I think it's quite cute)**

* * *

 _ **Voyage**_

Maria had experienced many incredible things in her life, but she swore that nothing compared to the moment she was handed her first child. The beautiful girl had stopped crying almost as soon as she was placed in her mother's arms and Georg would often tell her of how her eyes glazed over with the most beautiful of emotions – the kind of love only felt by a mother. Maria had tried to fight back the tears as she'd gazed into the eyes of her daughter, but the sweet combination of exhaustion and awe had just been so overwhelming, and before she knew it, her cheeks had been moistened with proof of how blissful her daughter made her feel. Although she had been a mother before the arrival of Rosmarie, there was something so profound about having a child that was a piece of her – of her and Georg – and she never thought that she would ever be lucky enough to be blessed with such a divine miracle.

Between her gentle sobs and sniffs, Maria gathered up enough strength to lean down and feather a kiss to her daughter's forehead, letting it linger as she savoured the softness of the new-born's skin and how she felt so connected to the being that she had only truly known for moments. It was indescribable, the strength of her love for her daughter was almost terrifying, how it had all come so suddenly and how she knew that she would do absolutely anything to protect her; how Rosmarie's happiness would come before her own and how her love would always be unconditional. Within minutes, the tiny bundle – wrapped in soft blankets – had become Maria's entire world. As another tear fell, Maria let the back of her finger travel down Rosmarie's cheek and her breath hitched when her daughter reached up and grasped onto it with a tiny hand, she was the most precious thing that Maria had ever seen, and between thoughts of fidelity and adoration, she thanked god for the tiny gift that she'd been given. After all her struggles, she finally felt truly, and wholly complete.

She was vaguely aware of Georg sitting next to her on the bed and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he too became utterly enthralled by the life that he and Maria had created. He looked away only briefly to press a kiss to his wife's temple, but after that, he simply couldn't tear his eyes away from his daughter – who was now wriggling sleepily within the blanket.

"I'm so proud of you, Maria" he whispered.

"She's just so…perfect!" she sniffed, "…I never thought I'd be lucky enough to have such a gift"

"Oh, you're more than worthy of such blessings, my dear…and I can't thank you enough for how strong you've been"

"I couldn't have gotten through it without you – any of it…" she assured – her voice weak from exhaustion, "…she's going to have your eyes"

"And your nose" he chuckled, "And hopefully your spirit too"

"I just can't believe something so precious came from our love, I mean, I never thought I'd be a mother, never thought I'd have a child of my own, and now, I can't believe I've lived this long without having this love in my life"

"You're going to be an amazing mother to this little girl, just like you are to the rest of our children"

"I hope I don't one day make you feel like you misplaced your faith"

"You could never make me feel like that"

"I've never taken care of a baby before" she sighed.

"You'd never taken care of children before you first came here, yet you were a natural right away…have confidence, my love"

"You will be there to help me, won't you?"

"Through every step of the way, whenever you need me, I'll be there…I promise"

"I love you" Maria almost whimpered.

"I love you too" Georg replied as he feathered another kiss to her temple.

"I just can't believe she's finally here…it feels like I was waiting forever"

"I know what you mean"

"I can't wait to find out what sort of person she's going to be, how she's going to grow and develop…"

"And she's going to do so with a loving mother"

" _And_ father" Maria assured.

"I bet she's going to have your voice"

"And your patience" she giggled.

"Your sense of adventure"

"And your smile"

Georg gently caressed the light dusting of chocolate brown hair that his daughter possessed, and he felt his heart swell in a way that he'd only known seven times before; his breathing became shaky for just a moment as he took in the beautiful bundle that was cradled so perfectly in the arms of his beloved. He'd never admit it, but he was fighting back tears of his own, the sheer sight of his child was enough to drive him into a whirlwind of sentiment. He loved her, he adored her, and he'd do anything for her.

"Her brothers and sisters are going to have a shock when they come home form school today" he chuckled.

"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that!" Maria gasped, "They're going to be just ecstatic!"

"Indeed they will, which is precisely why you should try and rest for a few hours, you must be exhausted"

"I am, but I don't want to sleep just yet, I want to keep holding her, just for a little while longer"

Georg couldn't argue with her desires, not when he shared them so abundantly; so, they snuggled together, their gazes never leaving the proof of their love. A shaky breath from his wife caught his attention.

"Maria?"

She shook her head lightly – she couldn't stop smiling.

"I just can't believe she's here, every time I look at her I'm just so overwhelmed by the fact that she's our daughter"

"Say that again…" he said with a grin, "…I like the way it sounds"

"Our daughter"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really enjoyed writing this one, so I hope you enjoyed reading it too!**

 **I'm note sure when Ill next be able to update this - or any of my other ongoing fanfictions - but it should be within a week or so (depending on my workload and how much progress I make with my paper work)**

 **See you soon! xx**

 **(Please leave a review)**


	9. Hurt

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just a short one this week, but I really hope you enjoy it!**

 **I'm not sure how many more chapters there are going to be, but I can't imagine it'll be more than five.**

 **This chapter was somewhat inspired by "Love and hope" - a wonderful TSOM fanfiction written by the equally wonderful HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMaria! xxx**

* * *

 _ **Hurt**_

Quiet was never a word that Georg had used to describe his wife, and yet, that was exactly how she was, and the atmosphere that came from her silence sent ghostly chills crackling down his spine. It unnerved him. But what was worse was the look of utter devastation that she wore – the light completely drained from her eyes. He hated it, hated seeing her broken and knowing that there was little he could do to help. He wanted nothing more than to coax her away from the prison that she'd shut herself away in…but he wasn't sure if he could.

She was sat on the bed, head bowed and her body completely rigid, every part of her – body, heart and soul – plagued with tension; however, he could see that her hands were trembling ever so slightly. Her mind seemed to be wandering through a wasteland, searching desperately for a slither of light, or a shred of hope…Georg knew that he had to be there for her, even if he wasn't enough. He moved towards the bed and sat next to her, for a while he didn't say anything, knowing that he needed to wait until she was ready to talk; the last thing he wanted to do was push her. But he slipped an arm around her shoulder, reminding her that he would always be there for her, even if she wasn't ready to open up.

A few more suffocating minutes passed before she finally spoke…

"I'm so sorry…" she sobbed and soon her cheeks were drenched with hot tears.

"Oh, Maria…" he said with a shudder, "…you've got nothing to apologise for, this is _not_ your fault"

"It must be, there's obviously something wrong with me, Georg…"

"No, my love, this isn't anybody's fault…and it _certainly_ isn't yours, do you understand?"

A brief pause – punctuated only by her sobs.

"This is the third time it's happened…we've lost three of our babies, Georg"

"And it's going to be the last time too"

"But…but if it's happened every time so far, then surely it's j-just going to keep happening"

He could only hold her tighter and whisper delicately into her ear.

"No, this is _never_ going to happen again"

"Georg –"

"No, listen to me…" he whispered gently, "…I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that we never lose another one of our babies, I don't care if it means endless doctors appointments or expenses beyond what we can afford, because you are the most important thing in the world to me, Maria, I love you and I want a child of our own so desperately – and I know you do too – so, if you're willing to keep going, then so am I…and I _promise_ you, that this is never going to happen again"

"Georg…just suppose that – that I…" she lowered her voice until it was barely audible, "…I can't have children, you…you won't be angry with me, will you?" she whimpered.

"Oh Maria, I could _never_ be angry with you for something like that…if it turns out it be true, then it'll be deeply saddening, but I will always love you Maria"

"When it happened last time, I was just so scared that you'd resent me, or that you'd walk away from me"

"Do you really think I'd do something like that?"

"No…it was just irrational fear"

"Good…I promised you on our wedding day that I would stand by you and love you no matter what, and that's a promise I'm never going to break"

"Me neither" she replied – _almost_ cracking a smile.

Georg laced the fingers of his free hand through hers and waited for her to look at him, and in spite of all of the pain and darkness, Maria felt herself being soothed by her husband's loving gaze.

"One day, Maria, we're going to have a new addition to this family, we will have a child that has come from our love and all of this will eventually feel like nothing more than a bad dream, do you understand?"

"I do"

"And that's a promise"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry that I wrote another sad one, but at least it's more bittersweet than heart-breaking, eh?**

 **Anyway, like I said before, I really hope you enjoyed that and please leave a review! xxx**


	10. Threshold

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter is a bit different from the last few, but it's quite similar to the first couple of chapters I posted, so I hope you'll enjoy it all the same - it focuses on Georg's feelings/perspectives.**

 **I've already started the next chapter, so hopefully that'll be up on time! :)**

* * *

 _ **Threshold**_

For as long as he could remember, he'd wondered if he'd ever be happy again. Wondered if he'd ever have that love in his life. He supposed that he'd forget what it felt like to have his heart flutter or to have his stomach do flips. He wondered if he'd ever be able to look into the eyes of someone special and feel completely transported to somewhere heavenly – somewhere far away from the world that had caused him such pain.  
He had pondered the idea of loneliness, introducing himself to the experience with a rigid sense of dread and awkwardness, like the college who's name you could never remember. But, after some time, he'd bitterly accepted the new fate, allowed her to hang on his arms like a woman he didn't love, like a weight…like the baroness.

Everyone around him knew that it was foolish, that keeping himself in the shadows was extinguishing all hope of him ever seeing the light again, but that was the thing about the shadows – they blinded him. They trapped him. He shunted any glimmers of light, and glimmers of happiness without really knowing it; but who could blame him? He'd already lost everything, so why should he have continued to trust the world? And he didn't, not for a long time.  
Eventually, a small slither of redemption came his way, but it wasn't strong enough for him; but he had taken it in his grasp and refused to let it go…even when it faded away. But he convinced himself that it was enough, that all his woes could be solved by the baroness, but deep down, everyone – including him – knew it wasn't true. Still, he pushed on, reminding himself that any solution was better than no solution at all, but his heart still felt empty – yearning for the love and affection that it had known all those years ago.

And then he met her…

Within an instant, she had swept him up into a whirlwind and he suddenly remember what it felt like to actually feel, to feel his heart race, his stomach to go hollow and for him to lose himself in the very sight of another. He remembered what love was. It had amazed him, even frightened him at how suddenly it all seemed to happen, the way it came crashing around him like a ruthless wave; but once he was swept up by the tide and into the ocean that was her affections, he knew that he never wanted to swim back to the shore.  
And so, the next adventure began for him. It hadn't been easy; for a while he had fought back against the advances of his emotions, convincing himself that it was some passing fancy – his mind's way of making him run from his commitments to the baroness – but deep down, he knew that wasn't the case. But he wasn't sure how to process any of it, never before – not even the first time – had he experienced emotions so strong, so consuming…and it scared him. Oh, how it scared him.

And, apparently, it had scared her too, and, for the briefest time, he thought he was going to lose her. That had driven him back to the edge of madness and despair, and he became convinced that the world was against him. Maybe it was punishment from trying to run away from his original commitments? He didn't want to chance it, and so, with a pang of regret in his heart, he promised himself to another. As time passed, he told himself that all was well, that he simply needed time to adjust, after all, who wouldn't? So much had changed, and it would continue to do so. But everyone knew that his heart belonged to someone else, but he didn't fully realise it himself until she had come back to him.  
As soon as he'd caught sight of her, the oxygen was completely robbed from his lungs and sweet relief filled every inch of his body, and he knew then – better than ever – that she was the one he belonged with. It had taken almost losing her for him to realise it, but the truth was oh, so clear in that moment. He knew that he'd never be able to face a life without her, not again, and he was determined to do something about it.

And he'd never been more terrified…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you enjoyed that! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	11. Medicine

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Again, I'm so sorry that this has taken so long, but I had a fair bit of writers block with this chapter - not really sure why - but I think it came out alright. As I said before, I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be of this story (I'm thinking only one or two)**

 **And, I am still updating "Better Than a Dream" and "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever" so don't worry about those, plus, I have more stories that will hopefully be published soon(ish) - and they'll be both oneshots and multi-chapter stories!**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Medicine**_

As the door opened, Maria let out yet another heavy cough – her chest heaving from the force of it. Her features became twisted in a seemingly permanent wince, but she turned away to hide it from her husband – who was slowly making his way towards the bed. But, she eventually felt the weight of him on the bed next to her and she couldn't deny that it soothed her somewhat, especially when he ran her hand across her arm. It was a great comfort, but, oh, how she wished the physical pain would vanish. Then he lay down and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You're going to catch this if you do that" she warned groggily.

"I don't care"

"Well, _I_ do, what kind of shambles would this household turn into if both the parents end up bedridden with the flu?" To hear the weakness of her voice was practically ripping apart his heart.

"Yes, but how distraught would I be if I couldn't comfort my wife in her time of need?"

She gave a slight chuckle, but the force of the movement caused a fit of coughs to erupt from her chest. Georg just continued to hold her and rubbed her back soothingly until it passed.

"You needn't be such a warrior, you know?" he said softly to the back of her head.

"I've got eight children and a husband living under this roof – all of whom seem to fall apart whenever my services cannot be provided" she teased lightly – but her audience didn't give much of a laugh.

But she couldn't blame him. She knew what this reminded him of…

"How're you feeling today?" he whispered.

"Terrible" she admitted, but instantly regretted it as she feared she'd stirred up his unpleasant memories even further.

"How's the nausea?"

"Not quite as bad as it was a couple of days ago, but I still can't find it in me to sit up for more than a minute…"

"Oh, my love…" Georg soothed as he held her tighter – but was careful with her aching limbs, "…is there anything you want me to get for you? Food? Water? Something for the headaches and nausea?" he asked as he pressed his lips to the back of her neck.

"I'm fine, thank you"

"Please don't hesitate to ask me for anything…anything at all"

"You needn't worry so much, darling, this will pass as soon as it came" she said weakly.

"I just worry about you, Maria…is it really so bad that I want to take care of you?"

She managed to crack a slight smile.

"Of course not"

"Then let me worry"

"But that's just it, I don't want you to worry about me"

"I don't understand" he said with a slight whimper.

Slowly – _very_ slowly – Maria turned onto her other side so that she could face him.

"I know you haven't said anything about it, but I can see it in your eyes…even though this really is a simple case of stomach flu you're – you're thinking about Agathe, aren't you?"

He closed his eyes for a moment – feeling the guilt and sorrow swell in his chest – and Maria watched his expression turn solemn. She hated seeing him like this, stuck with pain he didn't deserve; but she'd always do whatever she could to help him get through it. She let her hand trail gently down his cheek and didn't cease her caresses until his gaze met hers again.

"I know you worry, Georg, and I know that the pain will never truly leave you, but I don't want you to even go there…I'm going to be fine, I promise you"

"I know you are…I think it's just…it hurt so much to lose Agathe and the thought of losing you too is _harrowing_ "

"Don't go there…" she repeated tenderly, "…that's not going to happen to me and I don't want you to suffer because of things that are beyond your control…frankly, none of this is worth suffering over"

"My wife feeling unwell? Of course I'm going to suffer. I hate to see you so low…I'd do anything to take this away from you"

"You really are perfect, aren't you?"

"Yes" he teased, "Now, am I allowed a kiss from my lovely wife, or will she put me in quarantine straight after?"

"I'm sure a kiss is doable"

Georg hovered over her to save her the pain of trying to sit up and he gave her a brief smile before leaning down to tenderly brush his lips over hers. They kept it still and gentle, but the emotions that lay within the gesture were palpable and, if she'd had the strength, Maria would've pulled him closer and let the whole thing deepen. But, alas, she was plagued by the horrendous pounding in her head, the slight twisting in her stomach and the pulsating aches that never seemed to cease. He pulled away after a short while and gave her another soothing smile before brushing some of her hair away from her forehead.

"You've got a terrible fever" he frowned, "I'm going to get you a cold cloth"

"Oh, Georg, you don't have to"

"I won't take no for an answer" he assured before disappearing from their bedroom.

Maria let loose with a slight chuckle, but immediately silenced herself when her head began to throb again and her stomach began to swirl…for a moment, she feared that she'd have to rush to the bathroom, so she curled up tightly – not moving a single inch – and begged for it to pass. She was too weak for it to continue and she doubted if she'd be able to handle it if it got any worse. She whimpered slightly at the multitude of pains coursing through her, but it seemed that nothing she did could sooth it; she tried to envision all the things she loved in the world, her husband, her children, the Austrian mountains that she missed so much or the beautiful American countryside that they called their home…but it was all to no avail.

"Maria?" she heard softly beside her, "Are you okay?"

"Fine" she lied with another whimper.

Georg didn't say another word, instead he sat beside her on his side of the bed and ran a soft hand through her hair and whispered sweet, soothing words to her as he too waited for this to pass. It really broke his heart to see her in such a state, such a contrast to how she usually was; whenever he thought of his wife, he would instantly be greeted by images of her laughing and signing or running through the grounds with their children, she was carefree, passionate and had the most wonderful spirit he'd ever known; she intoxicated everyone with her happiness and – in his mind – made the world such a better place. Yet, here she was, curled up and riding out a torturous illness, barely able to speak, let alone move or do all of the other things that she adored so. He wished with his whole heart that it would be over soon…she didn't deserve this.

After some time, she was free of whatever burst of pain she'd just experienced, but she knew too well that it would return eventually. But she was able to lie normally and stretch out on her back and finally breathe freely as Georg lay the damp cloth on her forehead and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"You, Maria, are the most amazing woman I've ever known"

"Because I managed to contract the flu?" she asked – her eyes now closed.

"No…" he chuckled, "…because you haven't once complained about anything that's happened, because you've taken everything in your stride so wonderfully: becoming a baroness, my wife, the mother to our children, moving away from Austria and even now, when you're bedridden and barely able to move, your foremost thoughts were still dedicated to your family"

"That's just love, dear…nothing to marvel at"

"Don't go selling yourself short, Maria…I don't think you quite realise all that you do and just how incredible you are"

"Oh, you're being ridiculous"

"I do think so, but I shan't argue with my wife when she's feeling under the weather"

"You shouldn't argue with your wife at all" she managed to tease.

"Touché"

"Will you stay with me for a while?" she asked timidly.

"Anything for you" he replied quite seriously.

Georg allowed his wife to snuggled against him to the best of her ability and continued to run his hand softly through her hair or up and down her back, doing absolutely anything to make the whole ordeal less miserable. No words were spoken, he just held her tenderly and hoped that she'd eventually fall asleep and get some much needed rest.

"Georg" she whispered after a while.

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"You won't lose me"

"I know"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: Nothing else to say really, other than I really hope you enjoyed that, please leave a review and I'll see you soon! xxx**


	12. Hope

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, guys, this is the final chapter! Thank you all so much for reading this and for all the really lovely reviews you have left - it really means the world to me!**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 _ **Hope**_

It was almost ridiculous how perfect their life seemed to be now. How even though Europe was being ripped apart by yet another devastating war, their family had somehow managed to find a blessed sort of tranquillity an entire ocean away. It was outrageously idyllic; their quaint farmhouse that was somehow large enough to house the entire family (plus the new arrival that would be ready to join them in just a few months), their shockingly straightforward transition to life in America and the way that they just seemed to be without worries. Maria smirked to herself as she reclined against one of the larger trees that made its home in their grounds; okay, perhaps it wasn't _that_ magical or so without flaws that it might as well be written in one of Rosemarie's fairytales, but it was far beyond what they'd ever hoped for when the Anschluss came tearing through Austria. And perhaps adapting to life on another continent hadn't been quite so seamless, after all, thanks to the influence of their mother (and the young ages of Gretel and Marta) the children could pretty much speak English fluently – and so could Georg – Maria, however, whilst she had learnt it in school, did struggle for a while, after all, how many people in America where conversational in German? Still, she worked hard and things soon got easier.

Georg found work easily and slowly but surely, they slipped back into some sort of routine, something that resembled a family life. Maria's first child had been born just five months after their move to Vermont, and for Maria, that had really solidified something about the whole experience, really put into perspective that _this_ was her life now, here, in Vermont, with her loving family. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think that she'd leave Austria, but, then again, she never thought she'd end up anywhere but Nonnberg abbey, yet here she was, Georg's wife of four years and they weren't looking anywhere but towards their future. Some things never changed, though, the children, for instance, whilst they grew, developed and matured somewhat (especially the older three) they all remained the same lovable rogues that she'd met all those years ago; the very same ones that had barely waited a second before trying to drive her back out the door with fright. Maria would often look back on that first day and thank the lord that she had stayed stubborn and diligent. What might have happened if she'd crumbled and returned to the abbey? Still, that was something she pondered far too often.

There was also an abundance of smaller details that hadn't changed either, particularly when it came to her relationship with her husband; even after a good few years of marriage, it still often felt like they were on their honeymoon – hopelessly in love and detesting every second they spent out of each other's arms. Maria giggled, once again perhaps her mind was exaggerating again, but who could blame her for seeing her life through the lenses of a fairytale, after all, she felt like she was practically living in one…perhaps a rather distorted one, but it was a fairytale nonetheless. It had started in the typical rags to riches way, the servant saving the prince and capturing his heart, a near defeat by whichever rival had been written in before the prince saved the servant and made her his princess. It was all a bit jumbled, but all the pieces were there, they had simply been arranged in a unique order…the Von Trapp order. And she wouldn't have had it any other way.

But in regards to the way that things had not changed, Georg had _always_ been by her side, physically, metaphorically – in every possible way. When she was pregnant with Rosemarie he had barely taken his eyes off her; even when he was at work she was convinced that he'd paid the housekeeper extra to keep an eye on her and practically tail her around the house until he came home. But she had to smile at his concern. Part of her had hoped that he wouldn't worry too much, for even though Rosemarie had been Maria's first (biological) child, she certainly hadn't been Georg's; she had hoped that the familiarity of it all would keep his nerves in check. But, in retrospect, she realised that she had been foolish to believe such a thing.

As the end of her first pregnancy began to approach, Georg had watched her like a hawk, not necessarily in a possessive way, she knew that he just wanted to make sure that she was comfortable, that she had everything she needed and most of all: that she was okay. She was grateful for it as the end approached, it had been her first child and the prospect of the birth and having to look after a newborn soon crept up on her in waves of trepidation; but during her moments of doubt, there had always been one person who was there for her, to be her shoulder to cry on and to reassure her that no one could be a more perfect mother than her…her husband.  
Georg had been right, of course, Maria took to motherhood easily and Georg had gushed stupidly over her, the way she looked so perfect with their little girl in her arms and how the mere sight of it all made him feel something so profound – something far beyond what he could ever hope to comprehend.

There were other (more intimate) matters that also never changed, their love life for example; their honeymoon had been a period of great discovery for Maria, discovering herself, her sexuality, as well as her husband and the pleasure that they could give each other; how she had developed a quick fluency in the language of love – in its most beautiful expression. And after their safe escape from Austria, the passion that they shared certainly hadn't burnt out, if anything, Maria was solidly convinced that it had only increased in its vigour as life became easier, and they grew closer and more comfortable over the years…as their loved soared beyond the expected heights – beyond what they thoughts was possible.

Sometimes their intimacy was simple and tender, the glances they would share above the heads of the younger children on the sweet kisses they would give each other in passing; the way he would _always_ sleep with her in his arms and they would drift away in the most cherished sense of safety. Other times it was different, more heated, and more _desperate_. Once they had acknowledged and lovingly accepted their need for each other, well, there really was no going back for them. Maria was always amazed by how Georg could leave her so enraptured every time they made love, how he could have her blood boiling with as little as the right sort of look from the other end of the dinner table; how the delicate graze of his fingers along the back of her neck would have her weak and the knees and practically begging for more of his touch. But, in return, Georg always held the same sense of marvel in regards to his wife. Sure, there were many people who still viewed Maria as an innocent, but he knew that she had gone far beyond that, that with the right sort awakening, he had guided her to understand her sensuality, to discover that she was in fact a very passionate woman. And she was constantly surprising him. It hadn't taken long for her to come out of their shell during their honeymoon and it had happened far quicker than Georg ever would've imagined; within days she had grasped hold of her confidence and showed him just how much she loved him, how she was desperate to please him in the way that he pleased her. No, Maria certainly wasn't any sort of innocent, she was an absolute flame.

She ran a gentle hand across the swell of her stomach and smiled to herself – a slight blush accompanying the sentiment – their passion certainly had the most wonderful outcomes and she could scarcely believed that she was close to having her second child…her second child with Georg. Sometimes she was just so taken aback by all that had happened in the last few years that she'd have to stop whatever she was doing and allow herself to take a breath, to let it all sink in, but – most importantly – to allow herself to smile. It seemed there was no end to the practical perfection, she would often drink in a giddy sort of excitement whenever she thought of their eldest – Liesl – who was now closing in on twenty-one and had suitor of her own (she hadn't mentioned it to Georg, but she suspected that a proposal was on the horizon), then, of course, at the opposite end of the spectrum, there was the gentle fluttering in her stomach, the frequent reminders that there would soon be a new life to look forward to; a whole new member of the Von Trapp family. It seemed as though they had covered every element of happiness that there was in this world and Maria was so very grateful.

"I thought brooding was frowned upon in this household?" a velvety voice questioned.

She looked to her side and saw none other than the man she'd been daydreaming about approaching her slowly – an almost mesmerising smirk lying casually across his face. She offered him a soft chuckle before her sat beside her, kissed her tenderly and ran a soft caress across her stomach.

"How is mutti today?"

"Mutti is doing just fine, thank you, although, she's a lot better now that Vati is here" she blushed.

"Is that so?" he purred before stealing another kiss – this one longer...deeper.

"Where are the children?" she asked when they eventually separated.

"Oh, they're around the other side of the house engaged in another one of their ridiculous games"

"Is Rosemarie okay? Liesl offered to take her off my hands for a while – I was reluctant, of course – but –"

"Relax, sweetheart, they're all fine, besides, you deserve some quiet time"

"Oh, nonsense" she excused.

"No, not nonsense, I believe that my wife – the woman who is constantly running this household, wrangling our children and carrying number nine -" he rubbed her stomach again, "—deserves to have some time to relax"

"I suppose I can't deny that it has been rather nice…I don't always get a chance to come out here and appreciate how picturesque it is"

"Exactly…though it seemed like you were away in a little world of your own…" he observed sweetly as he began to idly play with her hair, "…what were you thinking about, darling?"

"Oh, _everything_ " she breathed in awe.

"That much?"

"Oh, it really would take me a lifetime to explain it all, but yes, everything, everything that's happened, everything that's changed and everything that we have, I just feel so… _lucky_ "

"We _are_ lucky, Maria…every time I think our life has reached the peak of perfection, something comes along and proves to me that we can always go that little bit further"

"I think I know what you mean"

"I honestly thought things were going to get so much worse when we left Austria… but this -" he gestured around them, "—here, it's more than I ever dreamed we'd find…sure there are no Austrian mountains, but you couldn't find a more beautiful piece of countryside if you tried"

"I quite agree," she chuckled, "then, of course, there's our two youngest…when I was a young girl I'd had obnoxiously perfect fantasies about becoming a mother, but never did I think I'd be lucky enough to watch them come true"

"And with a devilishly handsome husband, no less!" he teased.

"Yes, that too" she added with narrowed eyes – all in good humour, of course.

"There's no one more cut out to be a mother than you, my dear"

"So you've told me many times, I guess now that this little one marks number nine, I'm starting to believe it"

"You didn't believe it with the first seven?"

"Oh, it's not that, it's just that…well, they were angels, Georg…"

He had to raise an eyebrow at _that_ statement.

"Okay…" she continued, "…they had their rough moments like all children do, of course, but during the early days – once we'd gotten past any difficulties – they never would've dreamed of doing anything to upset me, with the exception of any scuffles that had between themselves, and then, when we became engaged, they were so overjoyed that misbehaviour rarely crossed their minds"

"I agree with you, but I'm struggling to see the relevance"

"What I mean is, I never knew any of them from the very beginning, they had all developed so much when I arrived, they practically conditioned themselves to behave for me, whereas Rosemarie, well, she never knew that way of life, with her we really did have to start from scratch – and I'm certainly not complaining – but she was a much more challenging test of my ability as a mother"

"And yet you pulled through perfectly"

"You've insisted upon that fact many times, but I made so many mistakes"

"And so did I, Maria, I raised seven children before she arrived and yet I still made errors of my own…nobody is ever a perfect parent, you know?"

"I know…maybe I'm just hoping I'll be a little better this time…can I blame the pregnancy hormones?"

"I don't think so…" he chuckled, "…but I won't argue"

"Good, it never does to argue with you wife"

"You don't need to tell _me_ that, my love"

She snuggled up to his side then, settling comfortable into his embrace and let herself get carried away by the tranquillity of his hold and the lazy afternoon sunshine.

"Another child…" she breathed – almost in disbelief.

"I can't believe it…and I cannot wait to meet them"

"Boy or a girl?" she asked.

"I'm almost hoping for a boy, it would be ridiculous to have five girls in a row!"

"I suppose you're right…it _has_ been a while since you've had a baby boy to gush over and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to see you cradling our son in your arms"

"Is that so?"

"Maybe it's because I was always closer to my father when I was growing up, but the bond that a man has with his child has always held a very sentimental place in my heart, and whilst seeing you with Rosemarie is almost enough to bring me to tears -"

"—which it _did_ the first time you saw me hold her" he interrupted politely.

"Yes..." she replied with a sharp eye-roll, "…anyway, whilst you're so close to her, there are few things I want more than to be able to see you with a newborn son, to see what _that_ sort of bond would look like, I'm sure I'm not wrong in assuming it's just as magical?"

"No you're not. Holding Fredrich and Kurt was… _indescribable_. I mean absolutely no discredit to my daughters, but you're right, there is just _something_ about that father and son bond that is so very special"

"Let's hope we get to see it again, then"

"Yes, let's hope"

And, as had always been the case, the Von Trapp's wish was granted…

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go, that's the end. I have really enjoyed writing this story and I really hope you have enjoyed reading it too!**

 **But, don't worry, I'm going to continue to update my other TSOM story ("Better Than A Dream") and my current Mary Poppins story ("A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever")...in addition to that, I also have more TSOM, Poppins and Dick Van Dyke show fanfictions in the works, so, if you choose to read those, I hope you'll enjoy them too.**

 **Anyway, hopefully, I'll see you soon! xxx**


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